A stamping apparatus is used to form or “stamp” a metal blank into a finished part that is used for, for example, a panel of a vehicle. To ensure that the metal blank is securely located between upper and lower dies of the stamping apparatus, a binder is engaged to the blank to secure the blank to the lower die before the upper die is actuated to stamp the blank and form the finished part. To ensure that the blank does not move during the stamping process, even when engaged by the binder, the binder may include a bead formed thereon that corresponds to a depression or recess formed in the lower die. Tensile strains experienced by the blank at these locations, however, may cause the blank to break during the stamping process, which may render the finished part unusable.
In addition to single bead configurations, multiple bead configurations are known to more securely clamp the blank before stamping. These multiple bead configurations, however, increase the amount of scrap generated during the stamping process, which increases manufacturing costs. In addition, multiple bead configurations do not ensure that the blank does not break when experiencing tensile strains.